A former Connecticut College hockey player whose father played for the Boston Bruins and other pro hockey teams will take over as director of operations at the Norwich Ice Arena starting today.

On Wednesday, the facility’s governing board introduced Douglas W. Roberts Jr., 44, of Old Lyme, as the rink’s new leader. He’ll make $60,000 a year through Aug. 30, 2017, when the contract must be renewed.

“I’m really excited about the opportunity to make the Norwich Ice Rink a positive place for the community. I’ve been a rink rat my whole life, and the opportunity to get back into what I love is my motivation personally,” Roberts said.

Roberts and his wife, Jennifer, have twin 14-year-old boys, William and Camron. He comes to Norwich after 11 years in the insurance business, most recently working at North Haven-based MBI Company Group LLC.

Roberts played at Conn College from 1989 through 1992.

An assistant hockey coach at the State University of New York in Cortland in 2002-03, Roberts bounced around several pro leagues and played briefly in Sweden. But he also has industry experience, managing a rink in Santa Fe for several years.

Under terms of the contract, Roberts will be required to work at least 40 hours a week and will undergo a performance review after six months, with yearly evaluations to follow at the authority’s discretion.

Roberts’ hire comes as the rink enters a crucial recovery phase. The 641 Norwich New London Turnpike facility has been closed since May 6, when its 17-year-old ammonia brine based chiller failed.

Since then, it has been thrust into controversy as city leaders debated over whether it should keep subsidizing the complex, which is already more than $400,000 in debt. Ultimately, the City Council voted in June to use $80,000 from last year’s capital budget to purchase a new chiller.

So far, $25,000 has been spent on a rental unit while officials wait for the new one to arrive.

Authority Chairman Peter Desaulniers said a replacement rental chiller — the first rental unit broke down last month — is between seven and 14 days away from operation as officials monitor its brine and pH levels.

“We were hoping it would be a little faster, but that’s as fast as we can go to make sure everything is right. We’re just guarding against any possibility that could happen,” he said.

“I know there’s been a very difficult period of time that everybody is working to get through, but the biggest thing I’ve gotten is how dedicated everybody is to getting it right,” Roberts said.

He’ll have at least a week to familiarize himself with the rink and its users before skating resumes.

Roberts said he’ll use that time to meet with figure skating and hockey coaches, players, parents and other rink users.

Page 2 of 2 - “I absolutely want to get to know more and more people as I get started here. In my experience, it takes a community to make a rink,” Roberts said.

Karen Hansen, president of the Norwich Figure Skating Club, said she was pleased with the authority’s choice of Roberts.

“I’m beaming right now,” she said. “It’s going to be an interesting adventure.”